Three tectonic approaches to redeem fragile buildings in Chinese rural areas

Titolo Rivista TERRITORIO
Autori/Curatori Gerardo Semprebon
Anno di pubblicazione 2026 Fascicolo 2025/112-113
Lingua Inglese Numero pagine 16 P. 168-183 Dimensione file 1124 KB
DOI 10.3280/TR2025-112018
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In the face of robust economic, societal, and climatic changes, the semantic and functional connotations of rural buildings and hamlets are rapidly evolving. This transient situation raises new questions about the delicate balance between the old and the new architectures, particularly in contexts like Chinese ruralities, where sustainability is a constant negotiation among circularity, performance, and aesthetics. This study adopts a tectonic lens to explore design strategies alternative to demolition and reconstruction praxis to integrate contemporary spaces into traditional architecture. By using a qualitative and comparative approach, the paper examines and discusses three projects implemented in the Chinese countryside, selected for their similar starting conditions in terms of building materials.

Nel contesto di profondi cambiamenti economici, sociali e climatici, architetture e piccoli insediamenti rurali si stanno trasformando rapidamente, così come le caratteristiche funzionali e semantiche ad essi legati. Questa situazione in continua evoluzione solleva nuove domande sul delicato equilibrio tra vecchio e nuovo, in particolare in contesti come le aree rurali cinesi, dove la sostenibilità si configura come una costante negoziazione tra circolarità delle risorse, prestazioni edilizie e linguaggio espressivo. Lo studio adotta una prospettiva tettonica per esplorare strategie progettuali alternative a prassi di demolizione e ricostruzione, finalizzate all’integrazione di spazialità contemporanee in architetture tradizionali. Attraverso un approccio qualitativo e comparativo, l’articolo esamina e discute tre progetti realizzati nelle campagne cinesi, selezionati per le condizioni iniziali paragonabili in termini di precarietà dei manufatti.

Parole chiave:tettonica; rivitalizzazione rurale; Cina

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Gerardo Semprebon, Three tectonic approaches to redeem fragile buildings in Chinese rural areas in "TERRITORIO" 112-113/2025, pp 168-183, DOI: 10.3280/TR2025-112018